Battle of Pultusk

The Battle of Pultusk (26 December 1806) was a battle of the Napoleonic Wars that was fought near Pultusk in East Prussia. The battle was indecisive, although it was a Russo-Prussian tactical victory.

On 28 November 1806, Napoleon I's advance corps took Warsaw, liberating the city from Prussian control. Napoleon assumed that the 68,000-strong Russian army under Levin August von Bennigsen was in full retreat from Poland, and he ordered Joachim Murat to pursue towards Pultusk. Mikhail Kamensky proceeded to reverse the Russian retreat, however, and the two sides met in battle at Pultusk.

The French suffered from heavy artillery fire from the Russians as they attempted to assault the Russians, and the French troops were forced back by the Russians during heavy fighting. The attacks were repulsed and the French were driven back to their positions, but the Russians withdrew that night. The battle was indecisive, but the Russians and Prussians inflicted heavy losses on the French before retiring.